Dominionism
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"Domionism"--I had no clue what this meant. I could have guessed, from the root word of "dominion" that it had something to do with domains, dominion, or domination. I've been recently acquainted with, by a friend of mine, the scariest concept I've ever heard mooted about, for the "good" of the United States.
The concept is "dominionism". Basically, it means this: the United States should go back to being a Christian country. We were founded by Christians, our original ethos was Christian, and all Christians should stand shoulder to shoulder and take back the government.
This "dominionism" sounds to me like a very militant form of Christianity. I'm afraid of it. I'm afraid it is very de-liberalizing in conception. Some of the tenets of this belief are very similar to Islam, in that what is being proposed substitutes Biblical laws for legislated laws. In other words, government by the Bible. Including the death penalty for homosexuals; including limiting taxes to a "tithe" (10 percent), including making heresy against the law, and for all I know, including burning witches at the stake.
The idea is both old and new. Once upon a time, there was no division between Church and State; our founding fathers had the genius and the foresight to remedy this situation, guaranteeing religious freedom in the United States. Many of our forefathers fled Great Britain due to religious persecution of one kind or another. That is why this country, our United States, was, from its very inception, a land of religious freedom.
A theocracy was just as much an anathema to our founding fathers as an aristocracy, and for much the same reasons: both theocrats and aristocrats tend to be despotic.
Shoot me if you strongly disagree with the above statement; or, better yet--disprove it by example if you can!
I have absolutely nothing against any religion. I have nothing against Christianity--I am a Christian, myself, if I am anything.
I just do NOT want to see government and religion blended once again into an unhealthy mix. I do NOT want to see the results in society of revising the main principles of United States Government to become a Billy Graham crusade. I don't want to see the next election become a Billy Graham crusade, either.
This movement is gaining momentum. The friend that mentioned it to me, and referred me to the link, below, is a Christian, a very staunch Christian. He almost is buying into this dominionism movement; he thinks it will be an improvement over the lax social morals we see in our American society today. He thinks it will work, to re-establish not only religious values; but family values and a much stronger work ethic in our society; he believes it may be the salvation of us all, here in America.
I do understand how he feels. I believe we, in America, have gone a bit wrong in our (what seems to me) extreme moral turpitude; we seem to have become more and more depraved as a society over time. That is only my own personal judgement or view of things; I have no right whatsoever to impose it on society as a whole.
I also think my friend (who is of my generation and, shall we say, over 50 years old), misses the "good old days". True, America is a different country than the country I remember of my youth. But we can't go back in time! Reactionary politics or governments never seem to work--we can't re-create what WAS! We have to work with what is now; we have to come up with solutions for the present-day society we live in. We can't go back to being Pilgrim Fathers all over again. And, truthfully--who would want to?
I found this article when researching the matter. I think it explains the concept better than I do.
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Hi, it wouldn't work, too many people in America are other religions, if a country was completely say, Catholic then yes maybe they could get away with taking everyone back to the dark ages, but not America, but you never know! stranger things have happened! lol
Thank you both, DR. and Alastar for your comments. This is the scariest thing. People are buying into it--I think it's because, as Junkseller pointed out--"populations under stress embrace extremism"; there couldn't be anything more extreme, more Fascist, than the proposition that Christians are supposed to have dominion over all earthly things.
And I agree with you 100% Alastar, that the world would be a much better place if all followed Jesus's rule of loving our neighbor as ourselves, rendering to Ceasar (Or the State) what is Ceasar's (Or the State) and to God what is God's --in other words, separation of Church and State, as we have now.
Dominionism to be frank sounds a little too close to Fascism in a social engineering kinda way. America to me means anyone can believe or not what ever they want so long as it doesn't hurt or forcibly impose on others. Of course this world would be a better place by a thousand degrees if the guidance's of Jesus were followed by human beings. Thank you for writing on this Paradise.
I had no clue either, Paradise, as to what Dominionism represented. Your hub has clearly examined and explained the concept to me. As you pointed out, America was created to be a place where its citizens could practice freedom of religion among other things. We must be aware of any members of government who attempt to take that freedom away from us.
Thank you, Chatkath, and so true!
Thanks for sharing this Paradise7, I wasn't sure exactly what this meant until I read your Hub! Very frightening concept as one has nothing to do with the other! Government has no place dictating how we worship, that is an individual choice and should remain that way!
Voted up and useful!
Scarytaff and Sweetie Pie, thank you both so much for your comments. I couldn't agree more. I'm not a very political person, but this dominionism thing grabbed me by the throat.
Scarytaff says: "The last thing you want is a holy war." Too true: we have enough problems, let's NOT add religious intolerance to the rest of our problems.
Sweetie Pie says: "I personally find it abhorrent that these politicians impose their own religious views on others...Praying and religion is a private thing for the family, not government." Oh, Sweetie, you are so right, and I sincerely hope most of the rest of us feel the same way, and can overcome this movement.
Not to get all political and stuff, but this is the reason I would never vote for Rick Perry, Bachman, or many of the other Republicans running. Mitt Romney is the only moderate Republican running for president, and he is a Mormon. I personally find it abhorrent that these politicians to impose their own religious views on others. They have no respect for anyone who does not fit in their box, and I find some of their comments actually of an unchristian way of being. I am a Democrat and a liberal though, so that is my bias. Praying and religion is a private thing for the family, not government.
The last thing you want is a holy war. My latest hub highlights the problems with protestants and catholics. http://scarytaff.hubpages.com/hub/Boy-King
The UK suffered for many hundreds of years with many thousands of people being killed, burnt, beheaded, the list goes on. Pray that it never happens in the U.S.A.
You said it, Kitty. I really, really don't like this and am hoping that will be the mainstream feeling should this thing find its political legs.
Voted up and awesome. Wow, that is a scary thought. What better would our country be as compared to communist countries? Or countries ruled by militant tyrants? There would be no difference! And I would probably be burned at the stake for mixing Christian beliefs with magic. What a frightening thought. I hope our country never turns to dominionism. God/Jesus/higher power would not want any society to live under that kind of misery.
Junkseller, I'm becoming more animated by the minute, myself. I know very little about this movement and I appreciate your comments immensely--they are an education in themselves. The more I learn, the less I like it. That's not the way for America to go, in my humble opinion.
Well, the New Apostolic Reformation I think is essentially an extreme subset of the larger charismatic and Pentecostal movements and I have heard estimates that those two movements have some 500 million members worldwide. Both movements seem to be heavy on evangelicalism and believe in manifestations of the 'Holy Spirit' (e.g. faith healing, miracles, speaking in tongues). Populations under stress seem to embrace extremism ,so unfortunately, I don't think these movements are going anywhere.
I think Palin's church is part of the Assemblies of God, which is the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world with 63 million members. They believe in the second coming of Christ, divine healing, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, etc. And in demons of course. here is an excerpt from a position paper from their website. "The spread of oriental religions and the occult in America has brought with it an increase in demon possession similar to that reported formerly by missionaries on foreign fields."
I've been looking into this issue recently, so am kind of animated about it.
Thanks for the info, junkseller, and for the comment. I have subsequently found at least a slight connection with this movement and Sarah Palin; a strong connection with this movement and both Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann, a Congresswoman from Minnesota. I am dismayed. Really dismayed. I do hope this movement runs out of steam before it can do any damage.
Have you looked into the people behind Rick Perry's prayer event that he recently held? Look up the New Apostolic Reformation. It is also called the Seven Mountains movement because of their desire to regain authority over the seven mountains, which include Arts, Business, Education, Government, Family, Media, Religion (pretty much everything). These people seem to quite literally believe in spiritual warfare. They also talk about spiritual mapping (from what I understand this involves figuring out geographically where evil is).
Sarah Palin seems to have some relationship with the movement. She has in a speech, for instance, used the term "prayer warriors". She was also 'blessed' by a Kenyan preacher, Thomas Muthee, who back in his hometown has at least once conducted a spiritual warfare campaign against a powerful witch.
It is no coincidence that the growth of the dominionist movement also corresponds to things like the push to teach creationism in schools (education mountain), the assaults on Planned Parenthood (family), the rise in Christian music groups and Christian media productions (arts), and censorship (media).
Thank you, Frank and TMA, for your comments. There have been some rumoured links between dominionism and the so-called "Tea Party" movement in the United States. The "Tea Party" has become a very real political force; I looked for a direct connection and am still looking--should I find one, I'll update this article with it.
Great hub! I had never heard of this movement before, I agree it's absolutely insane and I must watch out for these guys. Thanks for the info! Voted up!
Interesting write-up.. hmmm I'm voting up and intersting because it makes me think.. I have questions.. but I guess the answers might be in that link you provided.. thanks for the invite to this hud :)
Paradise7 Hub Author 9 months ago
Thanks for the comment, and I agree with you, Nell. So far this is a far right movement; I don't think the majority of people in America would ever agree to it. But, as you say, stranger things have happened, and we have experienced some unusual stresses in this country lately.